Apparatus for advancing strands



March 22, 1960 e. E. HENNING 2,929,493

APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING STRANDS Filed Aug. 14, ,1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. G. E. HENN/NG March 22, 1960 e. E. HENNlNG 2,929,493

APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING STRANDS Filed Aug. 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

G. E. HENN/A/G BY m.

A 7' TOR/V5 V United States Patent APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING STRANDSGeorge E. Henning, Baltimore, Md., assignmto Western Electric Company,Incorporated, New York, N12, a corporation of New York ApplicationAugust 14, 1958, Serial No. 754,989

4 Claims. (Cl. 203-400) The present invention relates to apparatus foradvancing strands, and more particularly to an improved capstan fordischarging a strand in one direction while revolving thestrand-discharge point in the opposite direction about a given axis.

In my copending application Serial No. 509,209, filed on May 18, 1955,and entitled Apparatus for Distributing Filamentary Material into CoilForm, a capstan is required for continuously advancing a length ofstrand. In addition, means must be provided for causing the point wherethe strand leaves the capstan to revolve about the axis of a coil to beformed at substantially the same speed as the speed of the strandleaving the capstan, but in the opposite direction thereto. With thisarrangement, the strand advanced by the capstan is continuouslydistributed in a descending helical ,path to form a coil. The presentinvention contemplates an improved capstan structure, especiallysuitable for use in place of the capstans described in my copendingapplication.

An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide new andimproved apparatus for advancing strands.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved capstan fordischarging a strand in one direction while revolving thestrand-discharge point in the opposite direction about a given axis,particularly that of a coil to be formed according to the principles ofmy copending application.

With these and other objects in View, an apparatus for advancingstrands, illustrating certain features of the invention, may include aring-shaped track With a rotatable pulley having a diameter smaller thanthe inner diameter of the track mounted coplanarly therewithin, thestrand beingwound around the periphery of the pulley. Means are providedfor revolving the pulley about the center of the ring-shaped track,means for urging the pulley so that the revolution of the pulley causesrotation of the pulley about its own axis, and means for guiding thestrand between the pulley and the track at a point near the point ofengagement therebetween. The rotation of the pulley serves to advancethe strand, and the revolution thereof functions to revolve thestranddischarge point. Preferably, a plurality of pulleys are providedhaving diameters smaller than half the inner diameter of the track andmounted spacedly and coplanarly therewithin, the strand being wound backand forth over a portion of the peripheries of the pulleys foradvancement upon rotation of the pulleys about their own axes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appearfrom thefollowing detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, whenread in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus illustrating the invention,with portions of the apparatus broken away to reveal structural details;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken generally along theline 2-2 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating theoperation of a first embodiment of the invention employing two pulleys;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged, fragmentary vertical sections generallyalong the line 33 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows, andillustrating three exemplary surface configurations for the ring andpulleys, and

Figs. 6 and 7 are views similar to Fig. 2, but illus trating differentembodiments of the invention wherein three pulleys and one pulley,respectively, are employed.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, astrand-advancing means or capstan, designated generally by the numeral19 and forming the subject matter of this application, is provided foradvancing a strand 11 and for distributing the same along a descendinghelical path, designated generally by the numeral 12, into a barrel 13mounted concentrically below the capstan 10. The strand 11 is collectedwithin the barrel 13 in the form of a continuous succession of coils,designated generally by the numeral 14, which are allowed to build up inthe barrel 13 to a desired depth and then the full barrel is removed andan empty barrel substituted therefor. The barrel 13 is maintainedstationary during the collection operation and is preferably providedwith a central core 16, so that the strand coils 14- are collected in anannular area between the outer periphery of the core 16 and the innerperiphery of the barrel 13.

The barrel 13 may conveniently be mounted on a wheeled truck, designatedgenerally by the numeral 17, to facilitate removal of a full barrel andsubstitution therefor of an empty barrel. As in my copendmg appli-CfltiOIl, the capstan it} is designed to discharge the strand 11 intospace above the barrel 13 at a point spaced.

from the axis of the helix 12 a distance substantially equal to theradius thereof (which is also equal to the mean radius between the core16 and the barrel 13). The capstan it) also functions to revolve thestrand-discharge point about the axis of the helix 12 at substantiallythe same speed that the strand 11 is discharged, but in the oppositedirection thereto. With this arrangement, the strand is distributedalong the descending helical path 12 for collection in the barrel 13.

As viewed in Fig. l, the strand 11 advances from right to left over aguide sheave 18, which is mounted on a supporting bracket 19. Thebracket 19 is mounted on a table 21, which is supported near the top ofthe apparatus on a plurality of columns 2222. The strand 11 passesaround the sheave 18 and then downward through the center of a rotatablehollow shaft 23, mounted centrally of the capstan 16. The shaft 23 isrotated by a motor 24, through a gear box 26 and a sprocket-andchaintransmission designated generally by the numeral 27. The shaft 23 issupported for rotation in bearings 23-28 at the top of the table 21 andsupports various portions of the captan 10 for rotation therewith.

Referring now to both Figs. 1 and 2, the capstan 10 includes ahorizontal arm 29 secured to the shaft 23 for rotation therewith andextending equal distances on opposite sides thereof. A pair of flatL-shaped supporting levers, designated generally by the numerals 3131,are mounted to the arm 29 near the opposite ends thereof by a pair ofpivot pins 32--32. The L-shaped levers 31-31 are spaced just below thearm 29 and parallel thereto, being carried with the arm 29 as the shaft23 is rotated but free to pivot with respect to the supporting arm 29.

A pair of pulleys 33 and 34 are mounted to the levers 3131 by a pair ofpins 36-36 for rotation about their own axes. The pulleys 33 and 34 arespaced just below the supporting levers 31-31 and parallel thereto in acommon horizontal plane, being carried for revolution about the centerof the shaft 23 with the levers 31- -31 and the arm 29 as the shaft'23is rotated.

The pulleys 33 and 34 are mounted coplanarly, as

illustrated in Fig. 1, within a fixed ring-shaped supporting track 37,which is secured by means of a plurality of that the pulleys 33 and 34may berevolved in a common plane therewithin as the central shaft 23 isrotated by the motor 24.

The pulleys 33 and 34 are mountedto a pair of long arms 39-39 of theL-shaped. levers 3131,'which' arms are of appropriate and equal lengthsso that the centers of the pulleys 33 and 34 fall along a straight linepassing through the center of the shaft 23, as illustrated in Fig. 2.The levers 31-31, and thus the pulleys 33 and 34 carried thereby, areurged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed'in Fig. 2, about thepivot pins 32-32 by the action of a pair of biasing springs 4141. Eachof the springs 41-41 is secured between a hook on the upper surface of ashort arm 42 of a corresponding one of the L-shaped levers 31--31 and ahook on the under surface of the arm-29.

Means are provided for guiding the strand 11 between For this purpose,the- Various constructions for the abutting surfaces 'between thepulleys 33 and 34 and the ring-shaped track 3 7 are illustrated in Figs.3, 4 and 5, portions of the periphery of the pulley 33 being illustratedand it being assumed that the pulley 34 is correspondingly constructed.As illustrated in Fig. '3, the periphery of the pulley 33 may be formedwith a singlegroove 46in which all of the turns ofthe strand 1-1 arereceived, with the frictional engagement for rotating the pulley 33being supplied by a pair of end flanges 47-'47 formed on the peripherythereof and engaging the inner surface 0 the track 37. I I

As viewed in Fig. 4, anumber of individual'grooves 48-48 may be cut inthe periphery of the pulley 33 to receive the successive turns of thestrand 11, so that a plurality of raised portions 4949 of the peripheryabut the inner surface of the track 37. 7 Another constructionis-illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein the pulley 33 is'formed with aplurality of V-shaped grooves 5'1'51 for receiving the strand 11 and theinner surface of the track 37 is provided with a plurality of invertedtapered projections 52-52 designed to match the strand 11 advancesdownward through the hollow shaft 7 lower pulley 33, as viewed in Fig.2. The guide tube 43 terminatesata point near the point of tangencybetween the; lower pulley 33 and the ring-shaped track 37, so that thestrand 1 1- is fed from the end of the guide tube 43 and between thelower pulley 33 and the track 37 at that point.

The strand 11 is wound between the pulleys 33- and 34, as illustrated inFig. 2, over a portion of the periph cries thereof for a desired numberof turns and is discharged into space from the upper pulley 34 at thepoint of tangency between that pulley and the ring-shaped track 37. Thenumber of times that thestrand 11 is wound between the pulleys 33 and 34is not critical,

tion with respect to the pulley 33 so as to feed the strand 11 to thepulley 33 at the point of 'tangency between the pulley 33 and the track37 at all times.

grooves 51--51 so as to retain the strand 11 and yet provide'the desiredfrictional engagement to rotate the hi ley 33. t

t ,7 Alternate embodiments" 7 Figs. Giand 7 are simplified drawings,somewhat similar to Fig. 2,tillustralting two alternate embodiments ofthe invention. Only the, hollow shaft 23, the curved guide tube 43, thetrack 37, andthe pulley" or pulleys employed are shown in these figures,it being'und'ers'tood that the remainder of theappara'tus corresponds tdthat illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. As illustrated in" Fig. 6, threepulleys 56', 57 and 58 may be employed, with the g'hide" tube 43fee'din'g" the strand 11 between the'lp'ulley' 56"and the track 37 at 5Point near the" Point of tan ency therebetween.

Thes'haft23 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction about thecenter of the ring-shaped track" 37. The pulleys 56, 57 and 58 arespring biased into compressive engagement with the inner wall of thetrack'37,.tso that revolution of the pulleys as a unit causes rotationof the revolution of the three pulleys-56, 57 and 58 as' a unitcausesthe desired revolution of the strand discharge point, as describedhereinbeforewitli reference, to the -rst embodiment of'the invention. t

Fig. 7 shows a second alternative embodiment utilizing.

7 only one pulley 59. The pulley. 59' is made only slightly Since thepulley 33 and 34 are continuously urged into engagement with the innerwall of the track 37 by the biasing springs 41-41 and the resultantcentrifugal force, the pulleys 33 and 34 are rotated about their ownaxes in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. The rotation of. thepulleys 33 and 34 causes advancement of the strand 11 woundtherebetweenin a well-known manner, thexstrand being discharged in a clockwisedirection adjacent to the inner surface of the track 37 at the top ofFig. 2. The revolution. of the pulleys 33 and 34 about the axis of the:shaft 23 causes. the strand-discharge pointv (the point. ofltangencybetween the upper pulley 34 and the track 37) to revolve in theopposite,countersmaller than theinner diameter of. the track 37 andismainta'inedin compressive engagement with the inner surface of thertrack 37' (showntangentat the top of Fig. 7) by a single spring-biasing meanscorresponding to that illustrated in Fig. 2. V p 1 g The guide tube 43is mounted for rotation with the hollow shaft 23 and just above theupper surface ofthe pulley 59 so that the strand 11 is fe'dintoagroovetin-the periphery of the pulley 59 near the top thereof (accordingto Fig. 3,4 or 5). The strandll is fed between the pulley 59' and thetrack- 37 ata pointalong the periphery of-the pulley 59 which iscounterclockwise of the point of t'angency, illustrated as at the topofFig. 7., The strand 11 is wrapped for a desired number of turnsaroundtheperiphery of the pulleyto allow advancement of. the strand 1; in'well-known fashion upon rotation of pulley 5-9 about its own-axis; V

The single pulley 59: is revolvedin a counter'c'iock w'is'e directionabout the center: of the ring 37,- utilizing apparatussimilar' to" thatillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and such revolution operates inco-opcra'tion' with the continuous com ressive engagement Betweentheperiphery of the pulley 59 and the inner wall of the track 37 to rotatethe pulley 59 in a clockwise direction and advance the strand 11. Thestrand -11 is discharged from between the pulley 59 and the track 37 ata point clockwise of the point of tangency at the top of Fig. 7, and ina plane below that in which the strand 11 is fed by the guide 43. Thestrand discharge point is revolved about the center of the track 37 asthe pulley 59 is revolved.

It will be manifest that this invention is not limited to the specificdetails described in connection with the above embodiments of theinvention, but that various modifications may be made Without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a ring-shapedtrack, a rotatable pulley having a diameter smaller than the innerdiameter of said track and mounted coplanarly therewithin, the strandbeing wound around the periphery of said pulley, means for revolvingsaid pulley about the center line of said track, means for urging saidpulley against the inner wall or" said track so that the revolution ofsaid pulley causes rotation of said pulley about its own axis, and meansfor guiding the strand between said pulley and said track at a pointnear the point of engagement therebetween, the rotation of said pulleyabout its own axis causing advancement of the strand and the revolutionof said pulley about the center line of said track causing revolution ofthe strand-discharge point.

2. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a ring-shapedtrack, a plurality of rotatable pulleys having diameters smaller thanhalf the inner diameter of said track and mounted spacedly andcoplanarly therewithin, the strand being wound back and forth over aportion of the peripheries of said pulleys, means for revolving saidpulleys as a unit about the center line of said track, means for urgingsaid pulleys against the inner wall of said track so that the revolutionof said pulleys causes rotation of said pulleys about their own axes,and means for guiding the strand between one of said pulleys and saidtrack at a point near the point of engagement therebetween, the rotationof said pulleys about their own axes causing advancement of the strandand the revolution of said pulleys about the center line of said trackcausing revolution of the strand-discharge point.

3. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a rotatable hollowshaft through which the strand is passed, an arm secured to said shaftfor rotation therewith, a lever mounted pivotably to said arm, a pulleymounted rotatably to said lever, a ring-shaped track larger in diameterthan said pulley and mounted coplanarly therearound, means for pivotingsaid lever about said arm so that said pulley is urged into compressiveengagement with the inner wall of said track, means secured to saidshaft for guiding the strand out of said hollow shaft and between saidpulley and said track at the point near the point of engagementtherebetween, the strand being wound around said pulley, and means forrotating said hollow shaft to rotate said arm and revolve said lever andpulley about the axis of said shaft, the revolution of said pulleyco-operating with the compressive engagement between said pulley andsaid track to rotate said pulley about its own axis to discharge thestrand in one direction and the revolution of said pulley operating torevolve the strand-discharge point about the axis of said shaft in theopposite direction.

4. Apparatus for advancing a strand, which comprises a rotatable hollowshaft through which the strand is passed, an arm secured to said shaftfor rotation therewith, a plurality of levers mounted pivotably to saidarm, a plurality of pulleys mounted rotatably one to each of said leversin spaced coplanar relationship to each other, a ring-shaped trackhaving a diameter more than twice that of said pulleys mountedcoplanarly therearound, means for pivoting said levers about said arm sothat said pulleys are urged into compressive engagement with the innerwall of said track, means secured to said shaft for guiding the strandout of said hollow shaft and between one of said pulleys and said trackat the point near the point of engagement therebetween, the strand beingwound back and forth over a portion of the peripheries of said pulleys,and means for rotating said hollow shaft to rotate said arm and revolvesaid levers and pulleys about the axis of said shaft, the revolution ofsaid pulleys co-operating with the compressive engagement between saidpulleys and said track to rotate said pulleys about their own axes todischarge the strand in one direction and the revolution of said pulleysoperating to revolve the strand-discharge point about the axis of saidshaft in the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,514,420 Shapiro July 11, 1950 2,589,852 Overacker Mar. 18, 1952

